Essay name: Paumacariya (critical study)
Author:
K. R. Chandra
Affiliation: Research institute of Prakrit, Jainology and Ahimsa Vaishali
This is a critical study of the Paumacariya: the earliest Jain version of Rama's life story, written in Prakrit by Vimalasuri dating to the 4th century AD. In this text, Rama (referred to as Padma) is depicted with lotus-like eyes and a blooming face. The Paumacariya places emphasis on the human aspects of characters rooted in Jain values, contrasting with the divine portrayal in Valmiki鈥檚 version.
Page 74 of: Paumacariya (critical study)
74 (of 671)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE R膧MA-STORY 45 Bh. Somasena (RPS, Ch. 14) has mixed up both the Jaina tradi-
tions. He states that when Bhamandala, the twin brother of S墨t膩 is
stolen by a revengeful celestial being, a farmer brings a casket and gives
it to Janaka. The female child concealed in it is adopted by Janaka.
That child (i. e. S墨t膩) becomes an object of solace for the wife of Janaka
who is aggrieved at her separation from her son. She receives the
female child as a replacement for the lost son.
The Sv膩yambhuva R膩m膩ya峁嘺 (17th cent. A. D.) mentions S墨t膩
as Mandodari's daughter鹿. R膩maj膩taka of Sy膩ma records the same
thing. According to the Palaka P膩l膩ma of Sy膩ma" and Lankanoy of
Laos鲁 S墨t膩 is R膩va峁嘺's daughter.
On the strength of the evidences available in the PCV and the
Brahmanical literature it can be surmised that Vimalas奴ri is the first
author who definitely mentions that S墨t膩 was begotten by Janaka on his
wife Videha.*
C. Sita's Betrothal with R膩ma :
According to the PCV Janaka engages S墨t膩 to R膩ma in recogni-
tion of the latter's chivalry 'purisay膩ranihasa峁�' (27,41). R膩ma helped
Janaka by chasing away the Mleccha hordes who under the leadership
of Ataranga, the chief of May奴ram膩la, had attacked the land of
Janaka.
There is no account of the betrothal of S墨t膩 to R膩ma in the VR
and the TR. According to the VR many kings go individually and try
in vain their skill and strength at the bow. Janaka refuses to offer S墨t膩
to any one of them. Then the disgruntled kings besiege Mithil膩 for
one year. Helpless Janaka propitiates gods. The latter send their
fourfold army and chase away the enemy-kings (1.66.17-24). About
in the VR.
the brother of Janaka a separate episode is narrated
in the
Sudhanvan the king of S膩nk膩艣yapura once seizes the city of Mithila to
obtain the Saiva-bow and S墨t膩 for himself. Janaka does not surrender
but kills Sudhanvan in the battle. He installs his own brother
(Ku艣adhvaja) on the throne of S盲nk膩艣yapura (1.71-16-19). The TR
does not contain any such account. It refers to the visit of R膩va峁嘺
and B膩峁嚹乻ura and their vain efforts at the bow (1.250) prior to the
celebration of the 'svayamvara'.
1. Bulcke, 2, p. 188.
2. Ibid. p. 376.
3. Ibid. p. 280.
4.
Dr. Bulcke is of the opinion that S墨t膩 was the legal daughter of Janaka in
the Adi R膩m膩ya峁嘺 (p. 292).
